Sophomore Slump? Counting the Ways

• 22 months since I last blogged.
• 10 months since I last hunted.
• 9 months since I got my safety course certificate (which I need in order to hunt chukar in Nevada—somehow I managed to get a CA hunting license without one).
• 5 months since Teddy exhibited gunshyness (do the math… July 4th).
• 12 weeks since I tore my right patellar tendon playing rugby (that’s what I get for breaking my promise to my wife to stop playing).
• 30 opioid painkillers prescribed.
• 10 weeks since the surgeons split my knee open like a fatted calf, pulled my tendon up, and sutured it into 3 holes they drilled in my kneecap to anchor it.
• 30 more opioid painkillers prescribed.
• 8 weeks since I last laid on the couch with my leg locked out in a brace (Olympic rugby on TV helped keep me relatively sane during this period, go figure).
• 6 weeks since a heated conversation between my surgeon and I about his very conservative recovery plan for me (from my perspective).
• 6 weeks plus one day since I started putting weight on my leg.
• 5 weeks since I stopped using crutches. Alleluia!
• 4 weeks since I went to my favorite bird-hunting ground, now a National Monument designated by President Obama, and hobbled around in my brace to see if El Nino rains brought a healthier hatch.
• 70+ quail in one busted covey answered my question.
• 3 weeks since my first physical therapy appointment.
• 2 weeks since I took Teddy out for some more training to build his bird drive.
• 3 days ago it started raining and hasn’t stopped since.
• 2 days since hunting season for quail in my zone opened.
• 1 day ago I was able to pedal an exercise bike for 30 minutes.

It’s clear it won’t be a big year hunting for me this time around.  I won’t be able to really hike around until December.  My deer tag was a waste.

I’m trying to be zen about it, and interpret my gimpiness as a sign for me to focus on up-training my now 2 year old vizsla past gunshyness.

But reading other blogs has inspired me to not lose faith and keep my enthusiasm up to keep training my boneheaded dog and do my leg rehab—thank you Tuckers Chukars, Birdhunter, Mouthful of Feathers, Chukar Hunting, AZWanderings!

This week I’m looking to go for a hobble and maybe come across some birds (sans Teddy).  Maybe I’ll get lucky.

Cheers!